NBA Rumors: Los Angeles Lakers Signing Harrison Barnes From Golden State Warriors

NBA rumors are swirling around Harrison Barnes. Right now, the Golden State Warriors are engaged in a playoff series with the Portland Trailblazers. The Warriors are currently up 2-0 in the series. Things are looking great for the defending NBA Champions. The 23-year-old small forward is set to become a restricted free agent this upcoming summer. Barnes will garner plenty of interest in the off season. According to ESPN, one of the teams that will be going after the former North Carolina Tar Heels star is the Los Angeles Lakers.

If you were to ask Harrison Barnes about his upcoming free agency right now, he’ll more than likely tell you he is focused on the NBA Playoffs. The Golden State Warriors are looking to repeat as NBA Champions. After the first two games on Tuesday, it was clearly obvious who the superior team was. During the NBA Playoffs, Barnes is averaging 9.3 points, 5.1 rebounds, and 1.3 assists per game. He is currently the fourth scoring option for the Warriors.

This season, the Golden State Warriors are having a dream season. They surpassed the 1992 Chicago Bulls record setting year. Harrison Barnes helped play a role in helping the Warriors beat that amazing record. This season, he is averaging 11.7 points, 4.9 rebounds, and 1.8 assists per game. Barnes is shooting 46 percent from the floor and 38 percent from beyond the arc. Those are good stats considering that he isn’t considered as a scoring option for the team. He is currently behind Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, and Draymond Green.

Harrison Barnes was a highly recruited player coming out of high school. According to Scouts, he was ranked number one in the class of 2010. He and Doug McDermott led their high school to two consecutive Iowa 4A state championships. They went undefeated for two straight seasons. Ultimately, Barnes signed with North Carolina Tar Heels star. He stayed with the program for two years then decided to enter the 2012 NBA Draft. Barnes was selected with the seventh overall pick.

The Los Angeles Lakers are in need of an upgrade at the small forward position. Harrison Barnes could potentially fill in that missing void for the Lakers. He has all the tools that teams will be looking for at the position. Barnes is currently 23-years-old and could grow with the young players that Los Angeles already have.

One question that will be surrounding Harrison Barnes will be whether or not he would thrive in an increased role. According to Mychal Thompson, he believes that Barnes could be a number one scoring option for the Los Angeles Lakers. Barnes is a very skilled shooter, can get to the basket, and is very athletic. He has the versatility to guard all five positions on the floor and is a quality rebounding forward.

This summer, several teams will be throwing a lot of money at Harrison Barnes in hopes of the Golden State Warriors declining to match the offer. He is a special player. Barnes could decide to stay with the Warriors. If Golden State does end up winning another NBA Championship this year, he could decide to stay and keep competing for more. The Warriors have one of the best teams in the entire National Basketball Association and arguably the best player in the world in Stephen Curry. They will compete for multiple championships for the next several years. Barnes could possibly decide he wants to make as much money as he can. The Los Angeles Lakers are willing to pay.

This summer, the Los Angeles Lakers will have plenty of money to spend for free agency. Harrison Barnes is a special type of player that will gain plenty of interest during the off season. He is currently ranked as the third best small forward in free agency.